Windows 3.1 on a Windows 7 Machine to run a 386 CD-ROM

[Village]

Gidday,

I have a CD-ROM that is supposed to run on a 4 MB RAM 386 machine.

I presumed that this would mean Windows 3.1. Do I need to have a copy of Windows 3.1 and install it otherwise it cannot be used?

I appreciate as much detail as you can provide.

[mpack]

If it needs Windows 3.1 then yes of course, like every guest OS supported by VirtualBox, you need a guest OS installer.

But "supposed to be run on a 4MB 386 machine" doesn't say Windows 3.1 to me (necessarily). If it needed Windows then I'd expect it to say so: all Windows applications from that era used to call themselves "xxx for Windows" or "Windows xxx" to differentiate from their DOS versions. If it doesn't say that then it may simply require DOS with a memory extender. FreeDOS might work if that is true.

[scottgus1]

FWIW, "run on a 4MB 386 machine" means it can't run on 2MB or a 286, but it could run on 16MB on a 386 or a 486. Those specifications are minimum system requirements, not maximums. Running it on XP? Not sure. But it might work...

[loukingjr]

It might be helpful to know what the CD is.

[andyp73]

I think I have been hanging around hardware and device developers too long. My first thought what why does a CD-ROM drive have specific processor and memory requirements...

[Village]

Thanks for all of the responses endeavouring to help me resolve my quest.

So the CD-ROM is actually an educational CD-ROM which has the purpose of being able to teach English/Chinese.

On the case it has some Chinese with the only words I can read being "...IBM PC 386..." I tried using DOSBox to open it and it said I needed Windows which is why I am here.

I have now acquired a copy of Windows 3.1 so the next step is to set it up to run on VB, unless someone has a better suggestion.

I have included the setup instructions provided by the source of the Windows 3.1 which has already got me off track as it says at the beginning that I need 500 GB hard disk.

Appreciate in advance anything can help clarify what I need to do to get the CD-ROM to work. I have tried to find the company with no success.

Here's what was suggested:

1. Create a virtual machine (vm) with 32mb ram and 500gb hardisk.
2. In "settings" change:
- "system" > "acceleration"
- uncheck "enable vt-x/amd-v"
- "storage"
- click "diamond+" (bottom right)"add floppy controller"
- click "floppy+" > "choose disk" and get "msdos622" > "disk 1.img"
- "network" > "advanced"
- select "pcnet-pci II (am79c970a)"add floppy controller".
3. Boot it and follow the dos 6.22 setup.
3a. If formatting hangs : reboot the vm (ctrl to escape the vm screen, then "machine" > "reset" in virtualbox menu). Press f8 at start to get a dos prompt. Answer "y" to the first question and "n" to the second. At the dos prompt ("a:\") type "format c:" enter and follow the procedure. Reboot. Continue the dos setup, changing the floppys when it asks ("devices" > "floppy devices" > "choose a virtual floppy disk file").
4. When setup has finished reboot to get a dos prompt.
5. Change the floppy to "cd-driver.img".
6. Type at the dos prompt :
- "copy a:\c\*.* c:\" enter(confirm overwrite with "y")
- "copy a:\d\*.* c:\dos" enter.
7. Mount the cd-rom image "win311.iso" (menu "cd/dvd devices" > "choose a virtual cd/dvd disk file ...").
8. Reboot.
9. At the dos prompt type :
- "d:" enter
- "setup" enter.
10. Follow the instructions. The "product number" field can be left blank.
11. Install the printer "Apple LaserWriter" (so you can print into eps files).
12. At "network setup" :
- click "networks..." and choose "install microsoft windows networks"
- click "sharing" and untick both boxes (it interferes with the custom svga driver)
- click "advanced" > "drivers" > "add adapter"
- then click "ok" to install an unlisted adapter
- "browse..." to the "d:" drive (cd-rom) and go into "ndis" then "ok"
- you get the "amd pcnet family" adapter then "ok"
- back in the "network driver" window click "setup..." then "advanced"
- in the upper part of the next window choose "bus type to scan"
- and in the lower part "value:" and "pci1" then "set" and "ok"
- click "ok" again to get back to the "network driver" window
- click on "add protocol" and "ok" to install an unlisted protocol
- install it from the cd folder "tcpip"
- back in the "network driver" window click "setup..." and "enable dhcp" and "ok"
- set "tcp/ip" as the "default protocol" and "close" the "network driver" window
- click "continue" in the "network setup"vbox and finish windows setup.
13. Reboot and type "win" at the dos prompt. Enter a new password when prompted.
14. To get the correct keyboard mapping go to "main" > "control panel" > "international" and enter the correct settings. you might have to browse to the "win311" cd-rom when it asks for the keyboard map.
15. To get 1024x768 (svga) resolution you need a patched version of the driver. Mount the cd-image called "apps", with the "file manager" copy the 3 files from "d:\drivers\svga" to "c:\windows\system".
16. Copy also "d:\drivers\sb16" to "c:\" (to install the sound drivers)
17. Copy also "d:\drivers\cpuidle\wqghlt.386" to c:\windows\system"
18. To disable the logon at startup open "c:\windows\system.ini" using "file manager" (found in "main"), add a the line "autologon=no" at the end of the "[Network]" section.
20. For windows to release the cpu when idle add the line "device=wqghlt.386" at the end of the "[386Enh]" section.
21. Go into "windows setup" (also in "main") and choose "options" > "change system settings", then choose "svga 1024x256, 256 colors small fonts" and "ok".
22. Reboot
23. To install the sound driver you need to reboot with f8 and disable config.sys and autoexec.bat by pressing "n" for each question
24. At the dos prompt type :
- "cd sb16" enter
- "install" enter.
25. Follow the instructions. When asked for the path to the audio card and windows enter "c:\pgms\sb16" and "c:\windows" respectively. When the installation is finished, press f10 to reboot and start windows.
26. You can now delete the folder "c:\sb16" and it's contents.
27. In the "file manager" double-clic "d:\ie501\setup.exe" (internet explorer 5.0.1 installation) and follow the instructions, but choose "standard" (not "full"). You can put it in "c:\pgms\ie501". Reboot when the install is finished.
28. In the "file manager" double-clic "d:\vfw11e\setup.exe" (video for windows 1.1e installation). Reboot when the install is finished.
29. You can double-clic the ".avi" file in "d:\snd&vid" to check if video playback works. double-clic the ".wav" file to play a song.
30. If you want to play .mp3 files or .m3u (playlists) you need to install "winplay3" (also from the cd image). You should also install "acrobat reeader" to surf for "pdf" files.

[mpack]

A Win3.1 VM would have no idea what to do with a 500GB disk, I assume that was meant to be 500MB.

See the howto area for tips on installing Windows 3.1.